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Artist Shepard Fairey is returning to Detroit, this time for a screening of "Idiocracy," a 2006 cult comedy that has been getting fresh attention during this election year.

Fairey, probably best known for the iconic Barack Obama "Hope" poster, is partnering with Detroit's Library Street Collective gallery for a Sept. 3 movie screening and after party that will take place at The Skip, an open-air lounge in the Belt Alley located between Broadway and Library streets.

It will be the kickoff event for Make America Smart Again, a nonpartisan effort founded by Fairey and his wife, Amanda, to encourage voter education and registration.

Why "Idiocracy"? The movie, set 500 years in the future in an extremely dumbed-down America, has been in the news recently for what some see as its parody parallels to the 2016 presidential campaign.

Artist Shepard Fairey works on a mural in the Belt Alley in Detroit on May 16, 2015.(Photo: Rob Widdis, Special to the Free Press)

"It’s the right movie specifically because of this election cycle," said artist and activist Fairey via e-mail on Friday. "More generally, it’s relevant because of the deterioration of media and the strategy to garner clicks rather than provide information, and also the proliferation of misinformation through social media, all make what fictionally took place over 500 years in 'Idiocracy' seem to be taking place over a much shorter period in America today."

"Idiocracy" has been generating renewed pop-culture buzz roughly since February, when its original co-screenwriter Etan Cohen tweeted, "I never expected #idiocracy to become a documentary."

The outpouring of online attention led to talk of director Mike Judge (HBO's "Silicon Valley") making anti-Donald Trump ads that would spin off the movie by featuring President Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho (played by Flint native Terry Crews), a former pro wrestler-turned-politician.

Trump, you might recall, appeared on "Monday Night Raw" and "Wrestlemania" in 2007.

The "Idiocracy" event aims to reach the millennial voting bloc, according to Victoria Yarnish, supervising director for Make America Smart Again.

" 'Idiocracy' satirically takes on issues in a humorous way, but it could also be a cautionary tale for society. People are frustrated and apathetic, but it’s important to use your brain, use your voice, and be part of our democracy to continue to sway our country, our society and our government toward more educated decisions. We want voters to use their brain and use their voice!," messaged Yarnish.

Proceeds from the Detroit "Idiocracy" event (which is asking for suggested donations for admission) will benefit Vote Detroit, a grassroots initiative to raise awareness of the importance of political participation. The after party will feature local DJ Amy Dreamcatcher of Nothing Elegant and Fairey, who'll perform under the alias DJ Diabetic.

A Sept. 24 event in Los Angeles also will feature an "Idiocracy" screening and live performances. Programs in other cities across the country are under consideration.

Fairey, who has been a leading figure in street-art culture since the '90s, frequently makes Detroit headlines. In late June, a Wayne County Circuit judge dismissed a felony case against him stemming from charges that he illegally pasted seven works during a 2015 visit.

The case arose when Fairey came to the city for a big, very legal commission: painting the largest mural of his career, a piece that can be seen at One Campus Martius, formerly the Compuware Building.

After the charges where dropped, Fairey said in a statement through his attorney, "Even though this has been a very difficult situation for me, I am also grateful that it has seemingly inspired a richer dialogue about public art in Detroit."

On Friday, Fairey told the Free Press, "We chose Detroit as a destination for the #MakeAmericaSmartAgain initiative because I have a great relationship with my friends from the Library Street Collective who hosted my show and continue to do a lot of amazing projects for the city of Detroit. I like Detroit a lot, and I love working with them, so it’s a combination of those two factors."

For more information on the event and the Make America Smart Again campaign, go to the MASA site.